Going against teaching to treat illness

[ALostLittleLamb]

Hi All,

Little advice needed,

I have been diagnosed with Poly Cystic Overies which in turn makes that special time each month feel like groundhog day with Freddy Kruger (very very very very painful) I have been given the choice of relieving some of that pain by using the Contraceptive Coil or the Pill. So far I have turned down all methods because I am a firm Catholic. But now the pain is unbearable and I am that desperate I have even looked into a hysterectomy because I cant have children. I am abstinent and will remain so until marriage so knowing this would it still be a sin to take the contraceptive for health reasons alone?

I have point blank refused IVF for the future - I believe that a child should be natural and is a God given gift. Hopefully I shall prove myself worthy enough to be able to adopt in the future.

Please help me,

God Bless and Keep You.

Lamb

 

[1ke]

No it is not a sin to treat a medical condition with hormones such as those found in “the Pill”.

Contracepting is intrinsically evil. But that is not what you would be doing.

It is important to understand the difference.

 

[Cojuanco]

0und in “the Pill”.

Contracepting is intrinsically evil. But that is not what you would be doing.

It is important to understand the difference.

Precisely. This would be analogous to, say, cough syrup. Ingesting it to treat an illness would not be a sin, but ingesting it to get intoxicated would.

What you would merely be doing is taking medication to treat an illness, the unfortunate side effects of which would be to make it exceedingly difficult to concieve (a side effect that is present in other, less controversial medications, by the way).

 

[Iheartcoffee]

There is nothing wrong with going on the pill to treat an illness. However, check out NaPro. This could be another alternative for your health concerns.

 

[27lw]

Yes, do check out all your options. I heard a long discussion about these kinds of problems on a Catholic radio not too long ago. If you can find a gynecologist who knows about NaPro, definitely look into getting a 2nd opinion. The “pill” can have other side effects that may not be so healthy for you.
Wish you the best - - take care!!

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Hi All,

Little advice needed,

I have been diagnosed with Poly Cystic Overies which in turn makes that special time each month feel like groundhog day with Freddy Kruger (very very very very painful) I have been given the choice of relieving some of that pain by using the Contraceptive Coil or the Pill. So far I have turned down all methods because I am a firm Catholic. But now the pain is unbearable and I am that desperate I have even looked into a hysterectomy because I cant have children. I am abstinent and will remain so until marriage so knowing this would it still be a sin to take the contraceptive for health reasons alone?

I have point blank refused IVF for the future - I believe that a child should be natural and is a God given gift. Hopefully I shall prove myself worthy enough to be able to adopt in the future.

Please help me,

God Bless and Keep You.

Lamb

I think you should talk to someone in the Chancery who specializes in Family Life issues. You don’t want to do something that may be wrong. None of us here are specialists so our answers should not be relied upon. Some of these questions require a specialist in sexual morality. A gynocologist can only give you a medical opinion, they have little or no expertise in moral issues.

Linus2nd

 

[Rence]

I think you should talk to someone in the Chancery who specializes in Family Life issues. You don’t want to do something that may be wrong. None of us here are specialists so our answers should not be relied upon. Some of these questions require a specialist in sexual morality. A gynocologist can only give you a medical opinion, they have little or no expertise in moral issues.

Linus2nd

The Church does have expertise though, and in Humane Vitae it says this,
and it’s straight from the Vatican website:

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

Lawful Therapeutic Means

1. On the other hand, the Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever. (19)

 

[JerryZ]

First, don’t give up on having children, my wife suffered from the same condition and we have been blessed with 3 kids.
As others said taking the pill is not sinfull as you are using it to treat a medical condition.
If you are single, having sexual relations is already a mortal sin. However…
Being “on the pill” could be problematic IF it allows you to lower your guard on your chastity.

Try to find a gynecologists that is Catholic and belongs to the “American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists” here: aaplog.org
At their website you can search for a Dr. using your zipcode

You can also check the “National Catholic Bioethics Center” ncbcenter.org/

After you marry you could lookup the usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/
But I would hope that your OB/Gyn from the first site should help you with NFP.
God Bless…

–

 

[EasterJoy]

Even if you were married and engaging in marital relations, it would still be morally permissible to use needed medications that have a contraceptive side effect. There is no problem with using something with that side-effect when you are not married and not sexually active.

 

[ALostLittleLamb]

Thank you all so much for your advice,

I continue to pray to Our Blessed Mother Mary Ever Virgin that I can have an ounce of her courage and strength.

God Bless and Keep You

Lamb

x

 

[Linusthe2nd]

The Church does have expertise though, and in Humane Vitae it says this,
and it’s straight from the Vatican website:

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

O.K. Yes, that would make the necessary means lawful. But we should be sure there are no other effective means. We could not choose this means if an equally effective means was available which was not contaceptive. One may not choose the contraceptive means, even for medical reasons, if it was being used to prevent conception as well.

Linus2nd

 

[GenerationHV]

O.K. Yes, that would make the necessary means lawful. But we should be sure there are no other effective means. We could not choose this means if an equally effective means was available which was not contaceptive. One may not choose the contraceptive means, even for medical reasons, if it was being used to prevent conception as well.

Linus2nd

She said she is abstinent. Therefore there is nothing contraceptive about taking a combination of progesterone and estrogen!

 

[Rence]

O.K. Yes, that would make the necessary means lawful. But we should be sure there are no other effective means. We could not choose this means if an equally effective means was available which was not contaceptive. One may not choose the contraceptive means, even for medical reasons, if it was being used to prevent conception as well.

Linus2nd

The only ones qualified to give medical advice, and determine what treatments are best and most effective for a patient, are the patient’s care providers. She won’t be able to help the contraceptive side effect, so the point is moot about “being used to prevent conception as well”. If she’s taking it for medical reasons, then she’s taking it for medical reasons. If this is the treatment her doctor prescribed and works for her, she can use hormone therapy. Period. She doesn’t have to go above and beyond to find a na-pro doctor, or Catholic-friendly doctor. The encyclical doesn’t say anything about that. Why? Because is may not be appropriate, or be within her capabilities to do so. Her care providers will determine what is appropriate for her care. Anything else is beyond the reach of this forum since we are not allowed to give medical advice. As to moral advice, it was already given by the Vatican that it can be used to treat for medical reasons.